Onalaska Ready for Eighth Annual Apple Harvest Festival

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The eighth annual Apple Harvest Festival returns to Onalaska this Friday through Sunday with an array of activities, music and, of course, apple-themed food and drink. 

The event is enthusiastically presented by the Onalaska Alliance, said Cathy Murphy, the festival chairwoman and member of the Alliance. 

While apples aren’t a particularly significant agriculture crop in Lewis County, she said many folks have a tree or two on their property, a legacy of earlier settlers in the area, which is why it was selected as the festival’s theme. 

“The apple represented the values of the community,” she said. “Historically, the people who came here and founded our town, they had to carve out the space from timber, and one of the early things that was planted in our area was the apple tree.” 

And so, this weekend, the town will honor that history and make new memories. 

This year’s event features kayak races, a 5k walk and run, a parade, food and craft vendors, an apple pressing, apple pie eating and judging contests, music, theater, a Mexican dancing outfit, balloon art, quilt contest and more, Murphy said. 

Murphy said she’s particularly excited about the Morton-based Roxy Theater group, who will be performing over the weekend. 



The free quilt show is also something she’s planning on spending a lot of time at, especially since it’s open to the public, and is encouraging quilters of all skill levels to participate. 

“We’re just encouraging people, like they don’t have to be a perfect quilter, we just want to see the craft that’s in the area,” she said. 

A balloon artist by the name of Mr. Twister will also be at the festival, creating art for children. Music will be playing from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday from a stage on Carlisle Avenue, which will be closed during the festival. 

Local band Straight Shot will also be performing at The Mason Jar Gathering Barn on Saturday at 7 p.m. 

An all-community church service will also be held Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Onalaska middle school gym, followed by a potluck. 

For more information on the festival, visit http://www.onalaskaalliance.org/apple-harvest-festival.html.